PITTSBURGH -- A former McKeesport school security guard accused of keeping a runaway student in his home for years and having sex with her has pleaded guilty.

Thomas Hose, 49, of McKeesport, was scheduled to go on trial Tuesday in the disappearance of Tanya Kach, who was 14 when she left home to live with him in 1996.

Instead, Hose pleaded guilty to statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children, corruption of a minor, interference with custody of children and aggravated indecent assault. He was then sentenced to five to 15 years in jail.

Kach has told authorities that she had a crush on Hose, who was a security guard at her middle school when she began living with him 10 years ago. She re-emerged in March 2006 after sharing her story with a local business owner, who called police.

Kach, now 25, cried in court while she read a prepared statement on Tuesday.

"I just want to know why you did what you did to me. Why?" Kach asked, also calling Hose a "monster."

She said Hose took away her innocence and made her feel as though no one loved her.

"It's so sad to say, but I was nothing but a puppet," Kach said, noting that Hose controlled what she wore and ate and even how she styled her hair. "I'm not that dominated puppet anymore."

Hose apologized, but also drew a rebuke from Judge John Zottola.

"Only God knows how sorry I truly am," Hose said.

"I'm sorry, I truly am," Hose said. "The one thing in the last 15 months I replay over and over in my mind is all the times Ms. Kach told me, 'Thank you. If it weren't for you, I'd be dead or in the streets.' I am sorry."

Zottola replied, "I think, Mr. Hose, you give yourself too much credit."

Zottola said part of him wanted to reject Hose's plea, but he decided to accept it so Kach wouldn't have to go through a trial and relive what happened to her.

Hose was originally supposed to stand trial in February, but that was delayed when he cut himself and was temporarily sent to Mayview State Hospital for mental evaluation.

Judith Sokol, a local woman accused of helping change Kach's appearance and concealing her whereabouts, pleaded no contest to taking or enticing a child from their parent, endangering the welfare of a child and corrupting the morals of a child. She had other charges dropped.

Sokol will be sentenced in September.

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